Quick change variator

ABSTRACT

FUEL DISPENSING APPARATUS HAVING A REGISTER FOR REGISTERING THE COST AND VOLUME OF FUEL DISPENSED AND PRICE AND BLEND VARIATORS WITH RANGE ARM STACKS AND CORRESPONDING CAM SHAFTS FOR SETTING THE BLEND VARIATOR FOR SELECTING THE PRODUCT (I.E., THE BLEND OF TWO SEPARATE GRADES OF FUEL AND THE INDIVIDUAL GRADES) TO BE DELIVERED AND FOR SETTING THE PRICE VARIATORS FOR SELECTING THE CORRESPONDING UNIT VOLUME PRICE. THE RANGE ARMS OF THE BLEND AND PRICE VARIATORS PROVIDE FOR SELECTING RELATIVE DRIVE RATIOS OF +3, -3, +4, +5, +6 AND THE CORRESPONDING CAM SHAFTS PROVIDE FOR SELECTIVELY ACTUATING THE RANGE ARMS TO PROVIDE RELATIVE DRIVE RATIOS OF 1 THROUGH 9. THE CAM SHAFT OF THE BLEND VARIATOR IS MUTUALLY SET, AND THE CAM SHAFTS OF THE PICE VARIATOR ARE SET BY AN ELECTRIC RESET MOTOR DURING A COMBINED PRICE SETTING AND REGISTER RESETTING CYCLE.   IN THE EMBODIMENT OF FIG. 8 THE PRICE VARIATOR COMPRISES A PAIR OF CONVENTIONAL MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE RANGE ARMS AND A QUICK CHANGE SECTION FOR VARYING THE PRICE SETTING IN ONE CENT INCREMENTS THROUGH A RANGE OF 18 CENTS. THE QUICK CHANGE SECTION INCLUDES A STACK OF RANGE ARMS PROVIDING RELATIVE DRIVE RATIOS OF +3, -3, +4, +5, AND +6, AND FOR SELECTIVELY ADDING OR SUBSTRACTING THE OUTPUT OF THE RANGE ARMS, AND A CAM SHAFT FOR SELECTIVELY ACTUATING THE RANGE ARMS TO PROVIDE RELATIVE DRIVE RATIOS OF -9 THROUGH +9 TO PROVIDE A PRICE RANGE OF 18 CENTS IN INCREMENTS OF ONE CENT. THE CAM SHAFT IS ADAPTED TO BE ANGULARLY SET BY PRICE CAMS MOUNTED ON THE CAM SHAFT AND WHICH ARE PRESETTABLE TO SELECT EACH OF THE AVAILABLE PRICE SETTINGS. THE CAM SHAFT IS SET DURING THE REGISTER RESET CYCLE BY ROTATING THE CAM SHAFT IS ONE ANGULAR DIRECTION TO A WITHDRAWN ANGULAR POSITION AGAINST THE BIAS OF A SPRING WHICH RETURNS THE CAM SHAFT IN THE OPPOSITE ANGULAR DIRECTION UNTIL SUCH ROTATION IS RESTRAINED BY THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE SELECTED PRICE CAM WITH A ONE-WAY STOP.

P 20, 1971 c. w. KRUCKEBERG ET AL 3,606,148

QUICK cmmen VARIATOR Filed July 10. 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet B F/Ga p 20, 19.71 c. w. KRUCKEBERG ETAL QUICK CHANGE VARIA'IOR Filed July 10.. 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 n I I mnuuuuum Sept. 20, 19.71 c, w, KRUCKEBERG ETAL 3,606,148

QUICK CHANGE VARIATOR Filed July 10, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

n m a m E 3 mm I ULQ

United States Patent US. Cl. 235-61M 19 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Fuel dispensing apparatus having a register for registering the cost and volume of fuel dispensed and price and blend variators with range arm stacks and corresponding earn shafts for setting the blend variator for selecting the product (i.e., the blend of two separate grades of fuel and the individual grades) to be delivered and for setting the price variator for selecting the corresponding unit volume price. The range arms of the blend and price variators provide for selecting relative drive ratios of +3, 3, +4, +5, and +6 and the corresponding cam shafts provide for selectively actuating the range arms to provide relative drive ratios of 1 through 9. The cam shaft of the blend variator is manually set, and the cam shafts of the price variator are set by an electric reset motor during a combined price setting and register resetting cycle.

In the embodiment of FIG. '8 the price variator comprises a pair of conventional manually adjustable range arms and a quick change section for varying the price set ting in one cent increments through a range of 18 cents. The quick change section includes a stack of range arms providing relative drive ratios of +3, 3, +4, +5, and +6; and for selectively adding or subtracting the output of the range arms, and a cam shaft for selectively actuating the range arms to provide relative drive ratios of 9 through +9 to provide a price range of 18 cents in increments of one cent. The cam shaft is adapted to be angularly set by price cams mounted on the cam shaft and which are presettable to select each of the available price settings. The cam shaft is set during the register reset cycle by rotating the cam shaft in one angular direction to a withdrawn angular position against the bias of a spring which returns the cam shaft in the opposite angular direction until such rotation is restrained by the engagement of the selected price cam with a one-way stop.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains generally to fuel dispensing apparatus and more particularly to variators having primary utility in fuel dispensing apparatus for varying the price per unit volume of the fuel dispensed and/or the blend ratio of two available grades of fuel.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved variator of the type conventionally employed in fuel dispensing apparatus for varying the price per unit volume of fuel dispensed and/or useful in blending equipment for varying the blend ratios of the available grades of fuel.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved variator of the type having a plurality of range arms adapted to be selectively actuated for setting the drive ratios of the variator and having a compact and simplified range arm assembly for providing relative drive ratios of 1 through 9.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a variator of the type described having a new and improved range arm operating mechanism which may be programmed for selectively actuating the range arms for selecting a plurality of predetermined gear ratios.

It is a still further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved variator which is adapted for selecting a unit volume price through an extended range.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved price variator for fuel dispensing apparatus which employs a modified standard manually adjustable variator of the type having manually adjustable range arms and incorporating an additional quick change variator section in place of one of the manually adjustable range arms.

It is a still further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved quick change price variator having price indicators which are positively set with the variator to indicate the fuel price established by the variator setting.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a quick change variator of the type described which is settable in accordance with a manual selection and in conjunction with the resetting of the associated register.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial schematic, partly broken away, of a multiple product fuel delivery system employing price and blend variators incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view partly broken away and partly in section showing an exemplary variator range arm of the blend variator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the price and blend variators of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial elevation view, partly broken away, of the price variator;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, showing the price cam stacks and price selector carriage of the price variator;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged elevation view, partly broken away, showing a price cam stack of the price variator;

FKIG. 7 is an enlarged elevation view, partly broken away and partly in section, showing an interlock washer and a price cam of the price cam stack of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged elevation view, partly broken away and partly in section, showing a range arm cam of the price variator; and

FIG. 9 is a partial schematic, partly broken away, of another embodiment of a multiple product fuel delivery system employing a price variator incorporating the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numbers represent like parts, and in particular to FIG. 1, a partial schematic of 'a multiple product fuel dispensing apparatus incorporating the present invention is shown comprising a variator 10 connected to be driven by a pair of fluid meters 12, 14 which are driven in a well known manner in accordance with the volumetric flow of two grades of fuel that are delivered through the fuel conduits 1'6, 18 respectively.

'A proportionin g valve is employed in a known manner for controlling the volumetric flow of the two grades of fuel to the outlet conduits 22, 24 respectively which lead to the usual fuel dispensing nozzle (not shown) where they are combined to provide a blend in accordance with the setting of the valve 20.

- The outputs 26, 28 0f the meters 12, 14 are combined by a differential 30 to drive a variator input shaft 32 in accordance with the total volume of fluid dispensed, the shaft 32 being connected in a conventional manner for driving a volume counter 34 for registering the volume of fuel dispensed. The output 28 of the meter 14 is also connected to drive a first input 37 of a valve control differential 36 having an output 38' which is connected to control the setting of the valve 20.

A price variator portion 40 of the variator 10 includes a stack of input gears 42-45 driven by the shaft 32 and is adapted to be programmed to establish the unit volume prices of the available grades of fuel and the available blends which may be dispensed with the dispensing apparatus.

A blend variator portion of the variator 10 includes a stack of gears 52-55 mounted on a shaft which is driven in unison with the price variator 40 by the intermediate gearing 62, 64. The blend variator 50 has an output which is connected to provide a second input to the valve control differential 36 such that the blend variator 50 controls the proportion or blend of the two grades of fuel. The shaft 65 is driven by the gears 64, 66 through a differential 6'8 and the gears 64, 66 are. in turn selectively driven by the gears 52-55 through intermediate range arms 72-76. The range arms 72, 73 are adapted to be individually actuated to provide for connecting the gear 52 with the gear 64 and the range arms 74-76 are adapted to be individually actuated to provide for connecting the gears 53-55 respectively to the gear 66. The range arm 73 is provided with a single idler gear 82 whereas the range. arm 72 comprises a pair of intermeshing idler gears 84, 86 such that the range arms 72, 73 are adapted to rotate the gear 64 in opposite angular directions to subtract and add respectively the output of the gear 64 to the output of the gear 66.

The gears 52-55 and the gears 64, 66, which are preferably of the same diameter, are designed for providing relative drive ratios of 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively. The range arm 73 therefore represents a relative drive ratio of +3, the range arm 72 represents a relative drive ratio of -3, and the range arms 74-76 represent relative drive ratios of +4, +5 and +6 respectively. Relative drive ratios of 1-9 may accordingly be selected by appropriate selection of the range arms 72-76. For example, a relative drive ratio of 1 can be provided by using the range arms 74 and 72, and a relative drive ratio of 9 can be provided by using the range arms 76 and 73. The described gear ratios are used to provide blends having proportions of each grade of A through W The range arms 72-76 are operated by a cam shaft 90 having range arm operating cams 91-95 for selectively pivoting the range arms 72-76 from withdrawn positions into engagement with the associated gears. The cam shaft 90 is preferably designed with twelve evenly angularly spaced operating positions for selecting the aforementioned nine blend ratios, the two available grades of fuel, and a price presetting position hereinafter described. Also, the cams 91-95 are contoured to provide for selectively activating the range arms 72-76 to provide the aforementioned drive ratios 1 through 9 in sequence.

The cam shaft 90 and the valve control shaft 38 are provided with 'a suitable mechanism 98 for selectively positioning the valve for delivering the two available grades of fuel. The shown mechanism 98 includes a detent wheel 99 mounted on the valve control shaft 38 and a pair of pawls 100, 101 mounted on the cam shaft 90 for engaging the detent wheel 99 and for thereby 4 setting the valve 20 for delivering the two available grades of fuel respectively.

The cam shaft also includes a pair of lock-out cams 103, 104 which are adapted toselectively pivot suitable lock-out pawls 105, 106 into engagement with the gears 64, 66 respectively for locking the gears 64, 66 against rotation when a drive ratio is selected in which one of the gears 64, 66 is not employed. Thus, for example, when the cam shaft 90 is positioned to select one of the relative drive ratios of 4, 5 and 6, the lock-out pawl will be held in engagement with the gear 64 by the cam 103'to prevent feedback through the differential 68 to the gear 64. v

The price variator 40 provides for setting the unit price of fuel in substantially the same way as the blend ratio is established with the blend variator 50. More specifically, three cam shafts -122 and corresponding gears and range arms are provided for respectively setting the usual three places of the unit volume price of fuel and the shafts -127 of the price variator 40 are combined in a conventional manner by a pair of differentials 132 to drive a cost counter 134 for registering the cost of the fuel delivered.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an exemplary range arm 72 and its corresponding operating cam 91 are shown in more detail for clarity. The range arm 72 is shown withdrawn by the cam 91 against the bias of a tension spring which otherwise functions to pivot the range arm into engagement with a rod 142 to position the gear 84 in appropriate intermeshing engagement with the gear 5 2. The range arm is adapted to be locked in this operative position through the cooperation of a spring biased pivotal pawl 143 and a cam follower 144 of the rangearm, and a pawl supporting shaft 146 is adapted to be pivoted to pivot an axially extending pin 147 mounted on a pair of axially spaced levers 148 keyed tothe shaft to withdraw the locking pawls 143.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 the cam shaft 90 for the blend variator 50 is connected to be manually set with a selector knob 150 mounted on a selector shaft 152. The selector shaft 152 is connected to the cam shaft 90 through bevel gearing 153, 154, shaft 155, gear 156, rack 157 and gears 158', 1'59, 160. The drive ratio is such that the knob 150 can be set in any one oftwelve equiangularly spaced positions for selecting the nine available blend ratios, the two available grades and the price presetting position of the cam shaft 90.

A detent mechanism comprising a detent wheel 162 fixed to the selector shaft 152' and a spring biased pivotal detent pawl 163 is provided for accurately locating the selector shaft 152fin each of its twelve operating positions. Also, a pair of product indicator wheels 164, 165 are rotatably mounted at opposite ends of, the combined price and blend variator frame to indicate the product selected. And for this purpose the indicators 164, 165' are connected to be set in accordance with the setting of the cam shaft 90 through gears 166, 167, and gear 168 respectively.

The selector shaft 152 .is price cam shafts 120-122 in accordance with the settings programmed for each of its twelve operative positions. For this purpose three cam stacks 169-171 (FIGS. 5 and 6) are provided for programming the settings of the cam shafts 120-122. These cam stacks comprise programming shafts 172-174, and a corresponding set of eleven programming or price cams 175, each angularly settable to one of ten equiangularly spaced positions on the. programming shaft such that the angular position of, the pr1ce cams 175 correspond to the desired price setting of the corresponding stack of range arms of the price variator. The price cams 175 are adapted to be set when the programming shaft is in its 0 angular position at which an interlock washer 1,76 (FIGS. 6 and 7) may be raised to permit the cams 175 to be similarly raised to be reset on the programming shaft. For this purpose a twelfth earn 177 is provided on the programming shaft and set to also. connected for setting the r provide for positioning the programming shaft in its 0 angular position. The interlock washer 176 is keyed to the programming shaft 172 and the cams 175, .177 comprise an inter ten-tooth detent wheel 178 keyed to the shaft 172 and an outer cam portion 179 having a depending detent pawl engageable with the detent wheel 178 for locking the outer cam portion in its preset angular position with respect to the shaft 172.

Referring to FIG. 5, the price cams 1 75 have radial projections or detents 1 80 which are adapted to engage spring biased ball stops 182 mounted on a carriage 186 when the carriage is axially positioned to align the stops 1:82 with a selected bankof the cams. The carriage 186 is positioned by the selector shaft 152 through gears 190 fixed to the selector shaft, a pair of racks 192 at opposite ends of the carriage, and intermediate gearing 193-197. The position of the carriage 18 6 therefore corresponds to the position of the selector shaft 152 and the setting of the blend variator 50, and the carriage 1-86 is positioned to cooperate with a separate bank of cams at each of the twelve operative positions of the selector shaft 152.

The price variator cam shafts 12 0-122 are adapted to be angularly positioned in accordance With the setting of the selected cams 175, 177 after the manual selector knob 150 has been set and in conjunction with the resetting of the register counters 3 4, 134. For this purpose an electric motor 200 is provided for resetting the register and for rotating the cam shafts 120-122 to position the shafts in accordince with the setting of the selected cams 175, 1 77. The motor 200 is connected for rotating the cam shafts 120-1'22 through worm gear 201, worm wheel 202, intermeshing gears 203, 204, shaft 205, and gears 206, 209- 219; the gears 209, 215 and .219 being rotatably mounted on the cam shafts 120-122 for rotating the respective shafts through friction clutch washers 222 as seen in FIG. 8. Referring specifically to the cam shaft drive for the cam shaft 120 shown in FIG. 8 a pair of gears 209 (which mesh with the gears 206 and 210) are rotatably mounted on the cam shaft 120 in engagement with an intermediate friction washer 222 keyed to the cam shaft. A compression spring 224 is mounted on the cam shaft to provide a frictional drive between the gears 209 and friction washer 222 which provides for setting the cam shaft 120 and which permits the clutch to slip after the cam shaft 120 is set.

The cam shafts 120-122 are connected to the prograrn ming shafts .172-174 by the links 230-232 respectively and levers 233, 234 fixed to the cam shafts 120-122 and the programming shafts 172-174 respectively such that the cam shafts rotate with the programming shafts.

Price indicator wheels 240-242 are mounted co-axial- 1y above the corresponding programming shafts 172-174 and secured for rotation therewith through the pivot pins 239, such that the indicators 240-242 are angularly positioned to post the unit volume price established by the price variator setting. Similar price indicator wheels 2'50-252 are mounted on the opposite end of the frame and are connected to the links 230-232 for posting the established unit volume price at the opposite side of the variator. Accordingly as the cam shafts 120-122 are rotated by the motor 200, the programming shafts 172- 174 and indicators 240-242 and 250-252 are rotated in conjunction therewith. Such rotation is limited by the engagement of the detents 180 of the bank of selected cams with the stops 182 of the carriage 186' whereupon the drive clutches for the cam shafts 12 0-122 slip while the motor 200 functions to complete the resetting cycle of the register.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 the motor is connected for resetting the register through gear 208, shaft 270, Geneva or intermittent gearing 271, shaft 272, bevel gearing 273, 274, shaft 275 and gearing 276, 277, the gear 277 being fixed to the register reset shaft 278 as shown in FIG. 1 to reset the register. The intermittent gearing 271 comprises a combination drive gear segment 280 and locking ring 281 and a combination driven gear 282 and locking ring 283, and the gear segment 2 is adapted to be rotated one revolution, in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3, from its normal or initial angular position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 during the combined price setting and register resetting cycle. The motor 200 is suitably de-energized at the end of the resetting cycle to limit the rotation of the gear 280 to substantially one revolution. Also the intermittent gearing 271 is arranged such that the price variator cam shafts -122 are substantially completely set prior to the engagement of the gear segment 280 with the gear 282 to commence the resetting cycle.

The combined price setting and register resetting cycle is adapted to be controlled by the usual on-off control handle (not shown) conventionally provided in fuel dispensing apparatus for sequencing the pump delivery and register reset phases, as for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,659, dated Nov. 9, 1965, of E. C. Ambler et a1. entitled Resetting Control Mechanism for Counting Device. The control handle is also connected by suitable means to an interlock lever 300 (FIG. 4) to pivot the lever 300 to its angular position shown in FIG. 4 when the control handle is pivoted to its on position. In this position the lever 300 cooperates with a pivotal interlock lever 302 having one end engageable with the detent wheel 162 to prevent withdrawal of the interlock lever 302 and therefore rotation of the selector shaft 152 when the control handle is in its on position and therefore during the combined price setting and register resetting cycle and the succeeding delivery of fuel. Also a face cam 304 formed integrally with the gear 280 and locking ring 281 cooperates with the interlock lever 302 to ensure that the selector shaft 152 remains locked during the combined price setting and register resetting cycle if the control handle is pivoted to its off position before the cycle is completed.

The pivotal lever 300 is connected for pivoting the range arm lock operating shaft 146 through shaft 310, levers 311, 312 mounted on the shafts 310, 14-6 respectively and an intermediate link 313 in order to withdraw the range arm lock pawls 143 when the manual control handle is pivoted to its off position, thereby conditioning the blend variator to be reset with the selector knob 150. When the control handle is pivoted to its on position the shaft 146 is pivoted to permit the lock pawls 143 to lock the operative range arms in engagement with the associated gears. The shaft 310 is also connected to operate a pair of indicator wheel masks 320, 321 for the product indicators 164, 165 respectively for unmasking the product indicators when the control handle is pivoted to its on position. For this purpose a radial pin 322 is mounted on shaft 310 for actuating a reciproable slide 324 to unmask the indicator wheels when the control handle is pivoted to its on position. With the control handle in its off position, the slide 324 is adapted to be withdrawn by the upstanding tabs 327, 328 of the mask 320. Also, the mask 320 is mounted intermediate the upper face of the product indicator 164 and the slide 324 so that it is rotated by the indicator 164 through, for example, friction or a suitable detent (not shown) to mask the indicator 164 when the product selector knob 150 is rotated. A link 340 is connected between the masks 320, 321 to provide for common operation of the masks.

Referring to FIG. 9, another embodiment of a price variator incorporating the present invention is shown comprising a conventional nine step cone gear 400 driven by the variator input shaft 32 which is also shown connected to drive the volu'ine counter 34 of the associated register. The pricevariator also employs a pair of conventional manually settable range arms (not shown) which arev pivotally and axially mounted on their respective range arm output shafts 401, 402 for being manually settable for engagement with the desired steps of the cone gear 400. A third range arm output shaft a 403 provides the output of a quick change section 410 of conventional manner by a pair of differentials 406, 408

to provide an output 412 for driving the cost counter 134 of the associated register in accordance with the price setting of the variator..

The embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is adapted to be employed with conventional variators of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,239, dated Mar. 31, 1939, of E. A. Slye et al. entitled Gearing for Liquid Dispensing Apparatus by modifying such variators to incorporate the range arm output shaft 403in place of the usual range arm output shaft and by adding the quick change section 410.

The quick change section410 comprises a cam shaft 420 having cams 421-427 like the cams 91-95, 103, :104 respectively of the blend variator 50 previously described, gears 430, 431 like the gears 64, 66 of the blend variator 50, and a differential 432 like the differential 168 of the blend variator 50. Co-axial gears 440-443 correspond to' the gears 52-55 of the blend variator 50 except that they are of identical diameter and are independently driven by the cone gear 400 to provide the relative drive ratios of 3, 4, and 6. More specifically the gear 440 is driven by the third step of the cone gear 400 through an idler gear 450; the gear 441 is driven by the fifth step of the cone gear through the compound gear 451; the gear 442 is driven by the seventh step of the cone gear through the compound gear 452; and the gear 443 is driven by the ninth step of the cone gear through the compound gears 4'53, 454.

Cam operated range arms 460-464 which correspond to the range arms 72-76 of the blend variator 50 (except that the range arms 461-464 are identical since they are used for connecting gears of the same diameter) are selectively operated by the cam shaft 420 to provide relative drive ratios of 1 through 9 as previously described.

An additional gear 470 is secured to the shaft 471; two additional cams 472, 473 are provided on the cam shaft 420; and two additional range arms 474, 475 operable by the cams 472, 473 are provided for selectively connecting the gear 470 to an idler gear 480 in mesh with a gear 481 on the range arm output shaft 403 for rotating the shaft 403 in opposite angular directions, it being seen that the range arm 474 comprises a pair of idler gears whereas the range arm 475 comprises only one idler gear. Thus, the output of the quick change section 410 may be selectively added to or subtracted from the outputs of the remaining two manually settable range arms.

Thus, for example, if the price variator were designed for setting unit volume prices within a range of 0.00 to 99.9 cents per unit volume, the quick change section 410 could be employed for varying the unit volume price in increments of one cent through a range of 18 cents (i.e., a range of 9 through +9 cents).

The cam shaft 420 has twenty 'equiangularly spaced operating positions for the 19 available price settings and for a cam shaft programming position. A product indicator 490 may be mounted for rotation with the cam shaft 420 to indicate the price increment established by the variator section 410. Also, the cam shaft 420 is preferably connected to the corresponding price indicator wheel to assist in posting the price established by the variator setting. For this purpose a gear 491 is mounted on the cam shaft 420 and connected to rotate a gear 492 mounted on the range arm output shaft 403 which is connected in a conventional manner for operating the corresponding price indicator 493. Gears 494, 495' rotatably mounted on the range arm shafts 401, 402 respectively are connected for setting the remaining price indicators 496, 497 respectively in a conventional manner excepting that a differential 499 is employed for providing an additional input for indexing the price indicator 496 when the variator section 410 is set in a subtractive condition. For example, the price can be varied between 21.9 through 39.9 cents per unit volume when the price indicator 496 and corresponding range arm are set at 3, and accordingly the indicator 496 would have to be rotated with the indicator 493 when the indicator 493 is rotated in the subtractive direction from 0 to 9. A second input to the differential 499 is accordingly provided from the indicator 493by gears 500, 501 and intermittent or transfer type gearing 502 which comprises a combined transfer gear segment and looking ring 503 and a transfer pinion 504.

The settings of the cam shaft 420 are programmed by price cams 510 which are mounted on'the cam shaft 420 as shown in FIG. 9 and which correspond to and are presettable like the price cams of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8. Thus, the price cams 510 can be preset to program the angular position of the cam shaft 420 and the price setting of the variator. An additional cam 511 like the cam 177 is provided for setting the cam shaft 420 to its 0" angular position, and an interlock washer 512 like the interlock washer 176 is provided for permitting the price cams 510 to be reset when the cam shaft 420 is in its 0" position only.

A manual selector shaft 520 is provided for manually selecting the cams 510, 511 by positioning a detent carriage '522 in the manner of the embodiment of FIGS. l-8. Also the manual selector shaft 520 may be connected for setting the blend variator as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8 where the price variator is used in blending apparatus.

The carriage 522 has a single one-way stop 524 for the single stack of price cams employed; The stop 524 is pivotally mounted on the carriage frame and is angularly biased by a suitable torsion spring 526 to an operative position in engagement with the carriageframe to provide for engagement by the operative cam to set the angular position of the cam shaft 420 when the cam shaft is rotated in one angular direction. The cam shaft 420 may, however, be rotated in the opposite angular direction to a fully withdrawn position without restraint by the one-way stop 524.

The cam shaft 420 is adapted to be rotated to its withdrawn angular position by the register reset shaft. 550 through bevel gearing 551, 552, shaft 553, and a crank 554 having a depending pin received within a slot in one end of a rack 555. The rack meshes with a gear 556 which is connected to rotate the cam shaft 420 through gears 557-559. The rack 555 is biased by a tension spring 560, to the right as seen in FIG. 9, to rotate the cam shaft 420 from its withdrawn angular position until its rotation is restrained by the detent 524, thereby setting the angular position of the cam shaft 420 in accordance with the setting of the selected cam. The return rotation of the cam shaft 420 by the spring 560 is dampened by the dashpot 562 and the mechanical arrangement is such that one revolution of the reset shaft 550 will provide for rotating the cam shaft 420 to its fully withdrawn position. The reset shaft 550 is connected in a conventional manner to reset the register counters 34, 134 upon rotation of the reset shaft 550 one revolution.

A manual on-off control handle 570 pivotal between on and off pivotal positions provides for operating a reset control mechanism 571 for rotating the reset shaft 550. With the control handle 570 in its off position, the manual selector shaft 520 is adapted to be rotated to select the desired price cam 510 (or the cam 511 when an interlock lever 572 is manually pivoted), and a shaft lock 580 comprising a locking disk 581 fixed on the cam shaft 420 and a locking lever 582' operated by the control handle 570 is provided for locking the cam shaft 420 against rotation by the tension spring 560 when the control handle 570 is in its off position and therefore when the selector shaft 520 is rotated to select a different price cam. Also, the control handle 570 is suitably connected for preventing rotation of the selector shaft 520 when the handle 570 is in its on position and until after the reset cycle is completed. Such is shown provided by a locking cam 586 which engages a selector shaft detent pawl 588 to lock the pawl against withdrawal and thereby lock the selector shaft 520 against rotation.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above-described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a settable variator for a fluid dispensing system having a rotary input member adapted to be rotated in accordance with the amount of fluid dispensed, a rotary output member, and at least two separate variable ratio rotary drives operatively connecting the rotary members, each of the two variable ratio rotary drives comprising settable rotary gear means selectively settable for setting the drive ratio between the rotary members through the respective rotary drive, the improvement wherein the settable rotary gear means of one of the rotary drives is selectively settable for selectively establishing each variator drive ratio of a series of relative drive ratios between the rotary members according to the arithmetic progression of (b+c), (b-l-Zc) (b-l-nc) where n is an integral constant of at least 3 and b and c are integral constants, and wherein the settable rotary gear means of the other rotary drive is selectively settable for selectively establishing each corresponding relative variator drive ratio between the rotary members of +nc and na to provide an extended range of available relative drive ratios of (b-|c(1-n)) through (b|-2nc) in equal increments of c.

2. The variator of claim 1 where b and nc are equal.

3. The variator of claim 2 wherein b and n are 3 and c is l.

4. The variator of claim 1 wherein the settable gear means of the two variable ratio rotary drives comprise a plurality of coaxial pivotal range arms adapted to be selectively pivoted from withdrawn to extended operative positions for selectively establishing the variator drive ratio and further comprising rotary cam means rotatable forselectively pivoting the pivotal range arms to their withdrawn and extended positions to selectively provide each of said available relative drive ratios.

5. The variator of claim 4 further comprising reversing means for reversing the drive between the variator input and output members through thetwo separate rotary drives, the reversing means comprising additional pivotal range arm means coaxial with the pivotal range arms of the settable gear means and adapted to be selectively pivoted by the rotary cam means to selectively reverse the drive between the variator input and output members through the intermediate rotary drives.

6. The variator of claim 5 wherein the rotary cam means provides in successive angular positions thereof for selectively pivoting said pivotal range arms and said additional pivotal range arm means for selecting the relative drive ratios of (b+ 2nc) through (b{c(ln)) and +(b+c(1 -n)) through +(b+2nc) in sequence.

7. The variator of claim 6 wherein b and no are equal.

8. The variator of claim 1 further comprising reversing means for reversing the drive between the variator input and output members through the two separate rotary drives including a pair of independently pivotal range arms adapted to be alternatively pivoted from withdrawn to extended operative positions for selectively reversing the drive between the variator input and output members through the intermediate rotary drives.

9. In a computing device for a fluid dispensing system having a register operable for registering the cost of the fluid dispensed in accordance with the established unit volume price of the fluid, a settable variator having a rotary input member adapted to be rotated in accordance with the volumetric amount of fluid dispensed and a rotary output member connected for operating the register in accordance with the volumetric amount of fluid dispensed and the unit volume price established by the variator drive ratio setting; the variator having at least two separate drives operatively connecting the rotary members which comprise settable rotary gear means selectively settable for establishing the variator drive ratio between the rotary members through the two separate drives, the improvement wherein the settable gear means comprises a first stack of coaxial range arms selectively pivotal from withdrawn to extended operative positions for selectively establishing relative drive ratios between the rotary members through one of the two separate drives in accordance with an arithmetic progression of (b+c), (b+2c) (b+nc) wherein n is an integral constant of at least 3 and b and c are integral constants, and two additional range arms coaxial with the first stack of range arms and selectively pivotal from a withdrawn to an extended operative position for selectively setting corre sponding relative drive ratios between the rotary members through the other separate drive of +nc and nc, and wherein the variator further comprises rotary cam means for selectively pivoting the range arms of the stack of range arms and for selectively pivoting said additional range arms to provide an extended range of available drive ratios.

10. In a computing device for a fluid dispensing system having a register operable for registering the cost of the fluid dispensed in accordance with the established unit volume price of the fluid, and a settable variator having a rotary input adapted to be rotated in accordance with the volumetric amount of fluid dispensed and a rotary output connected for operating the register in accordance with the volumetric amount of fluid dispensed and the unit volume price established by the variator drive ratio setting; the improvement wherein the variator comprises a stack of coaxial pivotal range arms selectively pivotal from withdrawn positions to extended operative positions to selectively establish different output/ input drive ratios and the direction of drive between thevariator input and output through the stack of coaxial range arms and setting means for selectively pivoting the range arms to provide said different output/ input drive ratios and the direction of drive through the stack of range arms, the coaxial range arms being adapted to be selectively actuated to selectively establish relative output/input drive ratios of a through ml in increments of a wherein a and n are integral constants and the setting means comprising rotatable cam means mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the coaxial range arms and adapted to be selectively rotatably positioned to selectively pivot the coaxial range arms to selectively provide each of an extended range of available relative output/ input drive ratios of -na through -a and +a through +na in increments of a.

11. In the computing device of claim 10 further comprising rotary programming means connected to the rotatable cam means for selectively angularly positioning the rotatable cam means, the rotary programming means comprising a plurality of individually angularly settable programming cams adapted to be angularly set in at least 2n angular positions for angularly setting the rotatable cam means in 2n angular positions for selectively pivoting the range arms to provide the available relative drive ratios respectively.

12. In the computing device of claim 10 wherein the available relative drive ratios are provided in sequence by successive angular positions of the rotatable cam means, and wherein the register comprises a plurality of price posting wheels of ascending order for posting a multiple place unit volume price in accordance with the variator setting, and positioning means for positioning a pair of the price posting wheels of adjacent higher and lower order in accordance with the rotational position of the 1 1 rotatable cam means, the positioning means comprising means for coupling said lower order wheel to the rotatable cam means for rotation therewith and intermittent drive means for indexing said higher order wheel as the rotatable cam means is rotated between its angular positions for selecting the relative drive ratios of -+a and -a.

13. In a computing device for a fluid dispensing system having a register operable for registering the cost of the fluid dispensed in accordance with the established unit volume price of the dispensed fluid, a settable variator having a rotary input adapted to be rotated in accordance with the volumetric amount of fluid dispensed and a rotary output connected for operating the register in accordance with the volumetric amount of the fluid dispensed and the unit volume price established by the variator setting, the variator having at least two variator portions with corresponding separate intermediate drives and combining means for combining the intermediate drives to drive said variator output, at least one of the variator portions being adjustable to set the output/input drive ratio of the variator through its intermediate drive comprising adjustable means selectively settable for setting the output/input drive ratio through said one variator portion and the negative or positive value of the drive ratio through said one variator portion, the improvement wherein the adjustable means comprises first adjustable means for setting the output/input drive ratio through said one variator portion and second adjustable means for setting the negative or positive value of the drive ratio through said one variator portion comprising a pair of independently pivotal range arms selectively and alternatively pivotal from withdrawn to extended operative positions for selectively setting the negative and positive value respectively of the drive ratio through said one variator portion.

14. In a computing device for a fluid dispensing system having a register operable for registering the cost of the fluid dispensed in accordance with an established multiple decimal place unit volume price of the dispensed fluid and having a plurality of rotatable decimal price posting wheels of ascending order adapted to be angularly positioned for posting the decimal places respectively of the multiple place unit volume price; a settable variator having a rotary input adapted to be driven in accordance with the volumetric amount of fluid dispensed, a rotary output connected for operating the register in accordance with the volumetric amount of the fluid dispensed and a unit volume price established by the variator drive ratio setting; the variator having at least one settable variator portion for varying the drive ratio of the variator therethrough for establishing at least one decimal place of lower order of the multiple place unit volume price, and the register having positioning means for angularly positioning the price posting wheels in accordance with the variator setting, the improvement wherein the said one variator portion is adjustable through an extended range of available drive ratios greater than said one decimal place, and wherein the positioning means comprises intermittent drive means between the lower order wheel corresponding to said one decimal place and the adjacent higher order wheel for angularly indexing said higher order wheel as said lower order wheel is rotated between its and 9 positions. t

15. In the computing device of claim 14 wherein said one variator portion comprises rotatable setting means settable in successive rotatable positions thereof for setting the available drive ratios in sequence, and wherein the positioning-means comprises means for coupling the rotatable setting means with said lower order wheel for common rotation.

16. In a computing device for a fluid dispensing system having a resettable register operable for registertg the cost of the fluid dispensed in accordance with the established unit volume price of the fluid, register resetting means operable for resetting the register, and a settable variator having a rotary input adapted to be rotated in accordance with the amount of fluid dispensed, a rotary output connected for operating the register in accordance with the amount of fluid dispensed and the unit volume price established by the variator drive ratio setting, and variator control means operable for setting the variator, the improvement wherein the variator control means comprises manually operable selector means for manually selecting each of a plurality of available drive ratios, and variator setting means operable for setting the variator drive ratio in accordance with the manual selection of the selector means, and further comprising an electric motor having a rotary output, first drive means driven by the motor output for operating the register resetting means for resetting the register, and second drive means driven by the motor output for operating the variator setting means for setting the variator drive ratio in accordance with the'selection of the manual selector means before the register is completely reset.

17. In the computing device of claim 16 wherein the first drive means comprises intermittent drive means for operating the register resetting means for resetting the register substantially after the variator setting means has been operated by the second drive means to set the variator drive ratio in accordance with the manual selection of the manual selector means.

18. In a computing device for a fluid dispensing system having a resettable register operable for registering the cost of the fluid dispensed in accordance with an established multiple decimal place unit volume price of the fluid, a settable variator having a rotary input adapted to be rotated in accordance with the amount of fluid dispensed and a rotary output connected for operating the register in accordance with the amount of fluid dispensed and the multiple place unit volume price established by the variator drive ratio setting, the variator having in put gear means including a multiple step rotary cone gear driven by the rotary input, at least one intermediate shaft extending parallel to the axis of the cone gear and connected for driving the rotary output, a first range arm mounted for pivotal movement about and axial movement along the intermediate shaft having a first gear keyed to the shaft and gear means engageable with the first gear and adapted to be axially and pivotally positioned for selective engagement with the steps of the cone gear for varying the variator drive ratio through said one intermediate shaft for establishing one decimal place of the multiple place unit volume price, the improvement wherein the variator further comprises a second intermediate shaft extending parallel to the axis of the cone gear and connected for driving the rotary output, and a stack of coaxial pivotal range arms mounted for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of the cone gear and selectively pivotal from withdrawn to extended positions into operative engagement with the input gear means for selectively operatively connecting the input gear means with the second intermediate shaft for varying the variator drive ratio through said second intermediate shaft for establishing another place of the multiple place unit volume price.

19. The computing device of claim 18 further comprising a plurality of price posting Wheels of ascending order for posting the decimal places respectively of the multiple place unit volume price, first positioning means operatively connecting said first range arm with one price wheel corresponding to said one decimal place of the unit volume price for angularly positioning said one price wheel in accordance with the pivotal position of said first range arm, rotatable setting means rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the cone gear for pivoting the range arms of said stack for selecting the drive ratio for establishing said another place of the multiple place unit volume price, and second positioning means operatively connecting the rotatable setting means to another price wheel corresponding to said another place for angularly positioning said another wheel in accordance with the rotatable position of the rotatable setting means.

References Cited UNITED 3,425,291 2/1969 Sundbloom 74-348 3,484,021 12/1969 Bickford et a1 222-26 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner STATES PATENTS 5 J. F. GONZALES, Assistant Examiner Haupt 235-94 George 23561M Young 222-26 74348 Sundbloom 235-941 

